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awhile。 I never went to pieces like this before； and
I've had a good many hard knocks。 Do you think
you could hustle something in the way of a little
lunch； old man？ I'm afraid my nerve's too far gone
to try any panhandling〃
Vallance led his companion up almost deserted
Fifth Avenue； and then westward along the Thirties
toward Broadway。 〃Wait here a few minutes；〃 he
said； leaving Ide in a quiet and shadowed spot。 He
entered a familiar hotel； and strolled toward the bar
quite in his old assured way。
〃There's a poor devil outside； Jimmy；〃 he said to
the bartender； 〃who says he's hungry and looks it。
You know what they do when you give them money。
Fix up a sandwich or two for him； and I'll see that
he doesn't throw it away。〃
〃Certainly； Mr。 Vallance；〃 said the bartender。
〃They ain't all fakes。 Don't like to see anybody go
hungry。〃
Ide folded a liberal supply of the free lunch into a
napkin。 Vallance went with it and joined his com…
panion。 Ide pounced upon the food ravenously。 〃I
haven't had any free lunch as good as this in a
year；〃 be said。 〃Aren't you going to eat any；
Dawson？
〃I'm not hungry … thanks；〃 said Vallance。
〃We'll go back to the Square；〃 said Ide。 〃The
cops won't bother us there。 I'll roll up the rest of
this ham and stuff for our breakfast。 I won't eat
any more； I'm afraid I'll get sick。 Suppose I'd die
of cramps or something to…night； and never get to
touch that money again！ It's eleven hours yet till
time to see that lawyer。 You won't leave me； will
you； Dawson？ I'm afraid something might happen。
You haven't any place to go； have you？〃
〃No；〃 said Vallance； 〃nowhere to…night。 I'll
have a bench with you。〃
〃You take it cool；〃 said Ide； 〃if you've told it to
me straight。 I should think a man put on the bum
from a good job just in one day would be tearing his
hair。〃
〃I believe I've already remarked；〃 said Vallance；
laughing； 〃that I would have thought that a man
who was expecting to come into a fortune on the
next day would be feeling pretty easy and quiet。〃
〃It's funny business；〃 philosophized Ide； 〃about
the way people take things； anyhow。 Here's your
bench； Dawson； right next to mine。 The light don't
shine in your eyes here。 Say； Dawson； I'll get the
old man to give you a letter to somebody about a job
when I get back home。 You've helped me a lot to…
night。 I don't believe I could have gone through
the night if I hadn't struck you。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Vallance。 〃Do you lie down
or sit up on these when you sleep？
For hours Vallance gazed almost without winking
at the stars through the branches of the trees and
listened to the sharp slapping of horses' hoofs on the
sea of asphalt to the south His mind was active；
but his feelings were dormant。 Every emotion
seemed to have been eradicated。 Ide felt no regrets；
no fears； no pain or discomfort。 Even when be
thought of the girl； it was as of an inhabitant of one
of those remote stars at which be gazed。 He re…
membered the absurd antics of his companion and
laughed softly； yet without a feeling of mirth。 Soon
the daily army of milk wagons made of the city a
roaring drum to which they marched。 Vallance fell
asleep on his comfortless bench。
At ten o'clock on the next day the two stood at the
door of Lawyer Mead's office in Ann Street。
Ide's nerves fluttered worse than ever when the
hour approached； and Vallance could not decide to
leave him a possible prey to the dangers he dreaded。
When they entered the office； Lawyer Mead looked
at them wonderingly。 He and Vallance were old
friends。 After his greeting； he turned to Ide； who
stood with white face and trembling limbs before the
expected crisis。
〃I sent a second letter to your address last night；
Mr。 Ide；〃 he said。 〃I learned this morning that
you were not there to receive it。 It will inform you
that Mr。 Paulding has reconsidered his offer to take
you back into favor。 He has decided not to do so；
and desires you to understand that no change will be
made in the relations existing between you and
him。〃
Ide's trembling suddenly ceased。 The color came
back to his face； and be straightened his back。 His
jaw went forward half an inch； and a gleam came
into his eye。 He pushed back his battered bat with
one hand； and extended the other； with levelled fin…
gers； toward the lawyer。 He took a long breath and
then laughed sardonically。
〃Tell old Paulding he may go to the devil；〃 he
said； loudly and clearly； and turned and walked out
of the office with a firm and lively step。
Lawyer Mead turned on his heel to Vallance and
smiled。
〃I am glad you came in；〃 he said； genially。
〃Your uncle wants you to return home at once。 He
is reconciled to the situation that led to his hasty
action； and desires to say that all will be as 〃
〃Hey； Adams！〃 cried Lawyer Mead； breaking his
sentence； and calling to his clerk。 〃Bring a glass of
water Mr。 Vallance has fainted。〃
THE PLUTONIAN FIRE
There are a few editor men with whom I am privi…
leged to come in contact。 It has not been long since
it was their habit to come in contact with me。 There
is a difference。
They tell me that with a large number of the
manuscripts that are submitted to them come advices
（in the way of a boost） from the author asseverating
that the incidents in the story are true。 The des…
tination of such contributions depends wholly upon
the question of the enclosure of stamps。 Some are
returned； the rest are thrown on the floor in a corner
on top of a pair of gum shoes； an overturned statu…
ette of the Winged Victory； and a pile of old maga…
zines containing a picture of the editor in the act
of reading the latest copy of Le Petit Journal； right
side up … you can tell by the illustrations。 It is
only a legend that there are waste baskets in editors'
offices。
Thus is truth held in disrepute。 But in time truth
and science and nature will adapt themselves to art。
Things will happen logically； and the villain be dis…
comfited instead of being elected to the board of
directors。 But in the meantime fiction must not only
be divorced from fact； but must pay alimony and be
awarded custody of the press despatches。
This preamble is to warn you off the grade cross…
ing of a true story。 Being that； it shall be told sim…
ply； with conjunctions substituted for adjectives
wherever possible； and whatever evidences of style
may appear in it shall be due to the linotype man。
It is a story of the literary life in a great city； and
it should be of interest to every author within a 20…
mile radius of Gosport； Ind。； whose desk holds a MS。
story beginning thus： 〃While the cheers following
his nomination were still ringing through the old
courthouse； Harwood broke away from the congrat…
ulating handclasps of his henchmen and hurri